Sister chromatid exchanges in human lymphocytes after anaesthesia with fluroxene.

The potential mutagenicity of fluroxene was investigated by the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) test using lymphocytes in peripheral blood from patients before and after anaesthesia. Twenty-five female patients, aged 21 -77 yr (median 36.5yr) were anaesthetized for gynaecological operations with fluroxene in nitrous oxide for 60-220 nun (median 110 min). The number of SCE per cell was the same before and immediately after anaesthesia. In 10 patients, SCE were examined 3 days later and no increase was observed. In rune of the other patients, SCE rates were identical before and after anaesthesia and 1 and 5 days later. It was concluded that there was no indication, from this test, of a mutagenic effect of short-term exposure to anaesthetic concentrations of fluroxene in nitrous oxide